


Green-Eyed Monster

by HalcyonEve



Category: Harvest Moon, Harvest Moon: A New Beginning
Genre: Bondage, F/M, Punishment, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-07
Updated: 2015-02-08
Packaged: 2018-03-12 20:23:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3354086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalcyonEve/pseuds/HalcyonEve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A three-shot inspired by Rod's jealousy in A New Beginning. This was originally just a one-shot, but then I realized that was only the beginning of the story. Rated M for adult situations rather than for lemons, though there is a bit of lime. Some non-con but not very explicit, mostly implied. Please R&R!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Green

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Harvest Moon: A New Beginning, and the locations and characters in this story belong to Natsume Inc. and MarvelousAQL Inc. The story's plot is my own invention.

Rod nodded his head understandingly as Rio unleashed a tirade against him. She was spitting mad for sure. He could tell that just from the tone, the force with which she ranted. Of course, he couldn't understand a word that she said—her voice was too muffled.

Still, he thought, all in all, the gag had been a good idea.

"Just a little longer, babe, then I'll untie you. Promise!" he reassured her from his chair next to her bed. He rose to check the knots again, then sat back down and picked up his book. A few minutes later, another outburst of angry protest came from the bed. He set the book back down and sighed. "Listen, like I said, it's just a little longer. It's 2:30 now—I can't untie you until 3:00. Then it'll be too late for you to enter the festival."

More squirming and angry noises.

"I know, I know. You really wanted to your yak to win. But don't you see? If you entered, you'd win for sure—you always do. Then everyone pays so much attention to you, and they crowd around you and congratulate you. And the guys—I've seen how they _look_ at you, even the guys here from the village, the ones that _know_ you're mine. And you are, you know—you're _my_ girlfriend. And I don't want to share you with _anyone_. So after that last crop festival—when Allen was coming on to you, even though he's _supposed_ to be my friend—I decided that I couldn't take it anymore. It's not fair, Rio—you shouldn't even _want_ anyone else to look at you but me. So here you are, and here you'll stay, at least until registration is over."

More angry sounds, very emphatic ones.

"It's no good, you know. I learned to tie knots from an old fisherman when I was a kid. Very useful skill, don't you think? Aren't they super? They won't come loose, so you might as well just be patient. You're only going to end up with rope burns if you keep it up." He picked up his book again, taking another quick look at the clock before finding his place. Still twenty minutes to go.

* * *

Setting his book down, Rod stood and stretched. Rio had dozed off just a little bit ago, worn out from fighting her bonds all that time. He smiled down at her. She was so beautiful, so… so _perfect_. He had hated to do this to her. Just not as much as he hated having to share her even just a little bit. With a glance at the clock, he saw that it was actually 3:15 now—registration was over and the festival was well underway. He frowned, knowing that the villagers would wonder where she was, and he hoped none of them would take it upon themselves to come looking for her. Shrugging a little, he decided probably not—festivals were so busy, no one would have the time, not until it was over anyway.

He looked down at her for a moment longer, then he bent down and kissed her cheek. Oh, _man_ , did she smell good, he thought. Like honey and wildflowers and… and just _her_. She startled awake, turning her eyes towards him. She stared, slightly dazed in drowsy confusion. "Hiya, babe," he whispered into her ear.

He reached down and began to untie the knots around her ankles first, wondering how best to appease her. As the last knot loosened and he slid the ropes from her legs, he looked up at her. She was fully awake now, and looked as mad as a nest of hornets. Well, that was to be expected, he thought.

"I'll make it up to you, babe. I promise!" he said in his cheerful voice. Before he moved on, he took a few minutes to rub her legs, knowing that they must ache from being tied up for so long. She had gorgeous legs, he thought as he massaged first one, then the other. So long and lean, already lightly tanned from wearing shorts out in the fields that spring. And her skin—it was so smooth and soft. Rio definitely took good care of herself. He frowned slightly, remembering the many times Allen had made that observation.

Leaving her wrists bound for the moment, he climbed up on the bed and sat on her stomach to hold her still while he untied the gag. Her struggles against it had tightened the knots slightly, so it took a little longer than expected to undo them.

As he slipped the cloth from her mouth, she struggled beneath him, glaring up at him. "You!" she hissed angrily. "You son of a _bitch_! Untie me right this second, then get the hell out of my house! You and I are _thr_ mmph!"

He cut her words off, quickly bending down to kiss her, pressing his mouth firmly against her so-soft lips. Her mouth was sweet, he thought as he tasted every corner of it. Honey again, and did she actually _eat_ flowers? She tasted like she smelled—sweet and flowery.

Kissing her still, he slid one hand under her head, then ran his fingers through her honey-colored hair. Silky and soft, he thought with pleasure. Remembering Allen discussing her hair—how fine it was, and what a _pleasure_ it was to style, and how much he _loved_ having her come into his salon—he felt a surge of heat course through him. Damn it, Rio was _his_ girlfriend! Not Allen's!

His kisses intensified as he slid his hand down her neck, her shoulder, and to her breast. She squirmed a little, but as he slipped the fabric of her bra out of the way and gently rubbed the tip of her nipple, feeling it harden beneath his touch, she instead began to push up into his hand rather than pulling away from it. He slipped his hand over to the clasp nestled into her cleavage and managed to undo it, the two halves springing apart and releasing her breasts with a slight bounce. He caressed first one, then the other, thinking to himself that, like the rest of her, they were perfect. Generously sized without being huge, firm and round, the nipples hard and—judging from her response— _very_ sensitive to his touch.

Pushing the fabric of her tank top up, he moved over to the side and leaned down to tease one of the tips with his lips and tongue. Squirming, Rio gasped, then panted, "R-Rod… no… _don't_ , I-I don't… don't…."

He looked up at her, his brow furrowed. "You don't want me to?"

With another squirm, she shook her head. "N-no, don't… don't _stop_ …." she gasped.

He smiled at her, caressing his hand down her firm, flat stomach to the waist of her shorts. "Well, that's all right, then," he replied as he leaned back down to her.

* * *

Undoing the last knot from the rope that had tied her left hand to the bedpost, he slipped the rope away, careful not to disturb her. She lay sprawled across the bed, unclothed and damp with sweat, exactly as she'd fallen asleep afterwards, exhausted by their exertions. The festival should have ended half an hour ago, he thought as he looked at the clock. With a grin, he coiled the ropes up and pulled his clothes back on. He'd untied her wrists long ago, but hadn't bothered to remove the ropes from the posts until now. Watching her sleep, he figured that she'd probably forgiven him by now, or at least wasn't so mad.

He sat at her dining table and pulled his shoes back on, tying the laces firmly. He felt much better now, he thought. That was the first time they'd been together in that way, and now he felt a _little_ more certain of her—just a little. He still hated the thought of sharing her, though, or of others paying attention to her, distracting her from him. He stood up and walked into her kitchen, to the calendar hanging on the wall by her fridge.

Ahh, _perfect_ , he thought, the honey festival is only four days away! He grinned broadly to himself as he gathered up his ropes and the cloth gag and walked out the door, closing it silently behind him.


	2. Eyed

Afterwards, Allen wondered how she managed to slip under everyone's radar for so long. Even _he_ hadn't noticed, until one day he realized that she hadn't been in his shop for at least half a year. Maybe even closer to a year—he couldn't say for sure without checking his records. So when he saw them passing by one day while he was taking a stroll by the river, he'd commented on it.

"Hey, Rio, you haven't been to my shop for _ages_ ," he'd called out as he approached them. "You should come in, let me fix you up. Your hair could use some attention. And you should consider trying a new color—you've been looking really pale lately. Just stop by and let me work my magic on you!" he'd added with a wink in his usual flirtatious manner.

What had surprised him was the way she seemed to shrink into herself. "Oh! Umm, no thanks, Allen. I-I'm fine." Then she'd glanced at Rod, as if seeking his approval, and he was even more surprised by what he saw in his friend's eyes. Jealousy, though that was nothing new, but also something darker. A sort of superiority? Possessiveness? No, not _quite_ either of those. He looked at Rio the way Allen imagined a baron from the Dark Ages might have eyed a pretty serving wench. The way someone in a position of power might lord it over someone completely subservient to him.

And that was all wrong, he thought as he watched them walk on up the mountain path.

* * *

Though he found the animal dealer's company not at all to his taste, he nevertheless sought him out that evening. Neil opened the door, his guitar in one hand and a cigarette in the other, looking bleary-eyed with exhaustion—and perhaps more, Allen thought, spotting an open bottle of tequila on the table, next to a shot glass, a salt shaker, and a plate of lime wedges.

"Whaddya want?" Neil asked, taking a long drag on his cigarette and blowing the smoke out of the corner of his mouth.

"I need to talk to you," Allen said, stepping past him into his house. "Something doesn't seem right to me, and I want to know if you've noticed anything, too."

With a grunt, Neil closed the door and walked back to the table. "Drink?" he asked, taking a last drag on his cigarette before smashing the butt into the ashtray.

Allen shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

Neil grunted again, but grabbed a second shot glass from the cupboard. He filled both glasses, then passed one to Allen before taking his seat. He licked and salted his hand, grabbed his glass and a lime wedge, licked off the salt and tossed his drink back, sucking on the lime wedge as soon as he swallowed the liquor. He then refilled his glass before looking at his unexpected guest. "Well? What's up?"

Allen mimicked his host's actions, wincing at the burning sensation and the acidic bite of the lime juice. He'd never had tequila shots before—cognac was more to his taste. Ignoring Neil's leer of amusement and declining a refill, he said, "I want to know, what do you think of Rio?"

Neil had picked up the salt shaker in preparation for his next shot, but he set it down again and looked at Allen in surprise. "Rio? I dunno. I guess… well, she's a hard worker. And she's good with animals," he said, gruffly, then picked up the salt again and finished his shot.

That might not sound like much, but even Allen knew that, with Neil, that was high praise—perhaps the highest—to say she was 'good with animals.'

"Has she seemed any… different to you lately?" Allen asked, watching his host carefully.

Neil shrugged. "I hadn't really thought about it, but I guess now you mention it, she doesn't come by as often. Oh, yeah, I do remember one thing. I'd stopped by one evening to let her know that a calf she was interested in would be up for sale the next week. She and Rod were goin' at it like rabbits. It was a hot summer night, and her windows were wide open. _Man_ , she makes a lot of noise." He shook his head ruefully.

"Anyway, I just left a note in her mailbox and left. The next day she came over to my shop to talk to me about the calf, and I remember being surprised, because she was wearing those heavy overalls of hers and a long-sleeved shirt. She even had a bandana tied around her neck, and work gloves on her hands. It was, like, a million degrees! She had to have been dying of the heat. Actually, I can't remember the last time she wore shorts or a short sleeved shirt. Dunno what's up with that. She never used to be so shy. Her first summer here, I caught her working in her fields one day wearing only her bikini—said she was too hot to wear clothes. But she didn't seem at all embarrassed, either." He chuckled a little at the memory.

Allen scowled and reached for the tequila, tossing back another shot as Neil grinned at him. "And Rod. What do you think of him?"

Neil frowned. "Don't like him." He stood and went to a cupboard, pulled out a new pack of cigarettes, and sat back down. He opened the package and offered one to Allen, who declined, before pulling one out himself. He lit it and took a long drag, closing his eyes and leaning back before exhaling the smoke towards the light that hung over the table.

"Really?" Allen asked, startled. "I thought he was your friend. Doesn't he come over here a lot? And he loves animals, too."

Neil sat back up, crushing the end of his cigarette into the thick ashes in his tray before pouring another shot of tequila for each of them. He scowled at the salt on his hand, then took his shot, slamming his glass down on the table when he was done.

" _No_ ," he said, glowering. "He's _not_ my friend. He used to come around, trying to make all nice-nice with me. He finally quit after he started hanging out with Rio. As for animals… if that's love, it's a pretty strange love."

Allen stared at him in surprise, then took his shot. The burn wasn't so bad now, and he found himself almost relishing the salty-citrus flavors. Plus he felt the beginnings of what might turn out to be a pretty decent buzz. "How do you mean?" he asked.

Neil paused, reaching for his pack of cigarettes and tapping them against the palm of his hand a few times as he thought. Then he abruptly stood and went into the kitchen. He grabbed a bag of spicy tortilla chips and opened it, pulling out a handful before dropping it on the table between them. He crunched the chips as he thought.

Brushing the powder from his fingers onto his pants legs, he said, "Okay, you know how his animals are all so goddessdam well trained and all, right? Perfectly obedient, do whatever you tell them to, blah blah blah." Allen nodded—Rod's herd dogs were famous in the area, and he'd even managed to train herd _cats_ , of all things.

"Well, I've seen them—obviously, since his friggin' shop is right next to mine, and he follows me back and forth between here and Zephyr Town. He even boards his animals at the same place as me. Anyway, his animals are really obedient, sure, but… you should see how they act around him. Kind of scared-like. _Cowed_." He took another shot, passing the bottle to Allen after pouring his own, then he lit another cigarette.

Cowed, Allen thought as he poured another drink. Yes, that was it—that described her exactly. He shook his head, then drank another two shots in rapid succession. Definitely starting to feel the buzz now, he thought, and he took a few chips out of the bag.

"When was the last time Rio entered a competition— _any_ competition?" Allen asked as he crunched a chip.

Neil pulled at his cigarette as he thought. When he was finished with his smoke, he ground the butt into the ashes and looked at Allen, frowning. "I'm not sure. I remember being surprised that she wasn't at the yak festival last spring, because she'd been talking so excitedly about entering it. But she never showed up. I don't really pay attention to the other festivals, who's there and who isn't. I just notice who enters the animal festivals. But yeah, now that you mention it, the llama festival in early spring is the last one I can definitely remember."

"I can't remember her being at any competitive festivals this year at all, except the llama festival, as you said." He brushed the scarlet dust from his fingers and leaned back in his chair. "I think something's wrong. Maybe _very_ wrong. Tell me, when you, ahh, overheard them—did she sound like she was… well, hurting? In pain?"

Neil grinned broadly. "Naw, man. If that was _pain_ I was hearing, we'd all be masochists."

Allen snorted. "Well, I still think something's wrong. Do me a favor, will you? Keep your eyes open. The fall crop festival's in just a couple days. Let's see if she's there. And if she isn't… let's go check out her farm and make sure she's okay."

"Sure, if it'll help you sleep at night," Neil said, shrugging. "I'll help. I like Rio, and if she _is_ in trouble…."

"Thanks," Allen said, pouring himself another shot.

The next morning, Allen woke up shortly before noon, groaning in agony at the filtered sunlight streaming through his curtains. Rolling over onto his stomach and pulling the blankets over his head, he thanked his lucky stars that it was Saturday, while cursing the leaf of the agave heartily.


	3. Monster

"Oooh, honey, you look awful!" Olivia exclaimed.

"Thanks," Allen replied, sarcastically. Though he was sure she was right—he hadn't even felt up to leaving his house until just a few minutes ago. Even then, he'd ventured out only after trading his usual eyeglasses for a pair of dark shades, and only because he had wanted to get a cup of strong coffee and a bite to eat before Olivia's tea shop closed for the day. "A slice of apple pie, please, and a cup of the strongest, blackest coffee you can make."

Olivia shook her head slowly. "No, sweetie, you don't want that coffee. Trust me. I'll make you something that'll make you feel much better. Just have a seat."

He sighed and paid up, then picked a seat with his back to the slowly sinking sun. A few minutes later, she brought a large slice of apple pie, oozing spicy, syrupy juices, and a tall glass of some reddish drink. His nose crinkled up as he sniffed at it, then he looked up at her, hesitant to try it.

"Go on, you'll thank me for it later," she said, smiling at him.

He took a cautious sip, and nearly spewed it out. "What the hell is this?" he said, grimacing and shuddering.

"Just drink it, Allen," she said, sighing. "It'll help, really. I'll get you a cup of café au lait to go with your pie if you drink it all down like a good boy. On the house."

"Fine," he replied, picking up the glass and eyeing it suspiciously as she went to make his coffee.

When she returned with the oversized cup in her hands, he screwed his eyes tightly shut and drank the entire glassful quickly, gasping afterwards as he grabbed the cup from her and took a large gulp. "Do you mind telling me what I just drank, exactly?" he said, still shuddering.

"Kombucha, mixed with pomegranate juice and freshly grated ginger," she replied.

"Kom-what?" he said, tackling his pie. "What the hell is that?"

"It's a sweetened, cultured tea drink. It's really good for you—just what you need when you're feeling under the weather, so to speak."

"Well, it was vile, so it has to work," he said, shaking his head as he reached for his coffee.

As he was finishing his snack, he heard footsteps approaching. Looking around, he saw Iroha walking up to his table. Waving her to the seat opposite him as he finished his bite, he watched as she quietly sat and looked at him, her hands on her lap, poised as always.

"Can I get you anything?" he offered. She shook her head, so he looked at her, a curious look in his eyes. "Then what can I do for you, Iroha? Is something wrong?"

She looked down at her hands, as if collecting her thoughts, then looked back up at him. "It's Rio. I'm worried about her, Allen, and I don't know who to turn to."

Scowling and leaning in closer to her, he said, sharply, "Rio? Why? What's wrong?"

"It's just… she's changed. It started not too long after she and Rod started dating. We've been best friends, you know, ever since I moved here. But starting sometime last spring, she stopped coming to visit me. She all but ignores me, now. If I go to visit her, she never has time…. And I rarely see her at festivals. I think the last one I saw her at was the fireworks festival in the summer. She didn't even come to the foliage festival a few days ago. We'd always gone to gather leaves together, every year we've done that. But this year she wasn't there. And you know how much she loves the roasted sweet potatoes. It's her favorite festival, I think."

He gave her a keen look. "You don't think it's just the normal behavior of a young woman in love? Neglecting her friends for her boyfriend? Unfortunate, of course, but very common, don't you think?"

Iroha shook her head vigorously. "No. At first, I wondered if it was only that, too. But there's more to it than that. She just acts… differently. Oh, it's so hard to explain it!" She scowled in frustration. "But something doesn't feel right."

Allen leaned back in his seat and looked at the girl opposite him, sipping the last of his coffee as he watched her thoughtfully. Finally, he set his cup down and said, "No. Something doesn't feel right. And I intend to try to find out why." He stood, neatly stacking his cup and saucer on his plate, then looked down at her with a smile. "You're a good friend, Iroha. And she may need that more than anything at this time. So do me a favor—stay home Tuesday. Don't go to the festival." Then he slowly walked back to his house, shoulders hunched against the cool fall breeze, lost in thought.

* * *

 The day of the fall crop festival and competition dawned bright and clear. The village had enjoyed an Indian summer this year, and the day promised to be unseasonably warm. At the festival grounds, Allen leaned against a fencepost not far from the entrance. He'd been one of the first to arrive, for once, and there had been no sign of either Rio or Rod so far—nor of Neil, yet. So he kept an unobtrusive surveillance, waiting for any of the three to appear.

Finally, just as Dunhill closed the competitions to new entries and strode towards the front to open the festival, Neil wandered in. He looked disheveled, and Allen sighed—if he was half asleep or hungover, he wasn't going to be much help, if any. But then he caught sight of his face, his eyes clear and focused, his expression grim as he scanned the grounds, and Allen knew he could rely on him to back him up.

"They're not here," he said, strolling over. "I've been watching all morning."

Neil nodded. "Figured as much. What do you want to do, then? It's your call."

"Let's head to the farm, first, and see what there is to see."

"Well, let's get going then. No point wasting time talking." Neil turned and started to walk towards the exit, and Allen fell in alongside him.

Rio's farm was on the opposite side of the village, at the end of a long, tree-lined drive. They walked slowly, the better to move silently, so it took nearly half an hour for them to reach her house. As they approached, they heard voices, but couldn't make any words out at first. Then as they drew nearer, moving even more carefully, they began to discern speech. Allen jumped slightly when he heard a muffled cry, as if in pain.

"Keep it down, Rio. I told you—no talking unless I give you permission. Not a peep out of you. And remember—if you don't do as you're told, I have that gag right here."

A pause, and then Rod's voice continued, sounding smug. "That's my girl. You just do what you're told, and you'll be fine. You know you only ever get hurt when you try to fight me or disobey me. And you know, you're just getting what you deserve. So just hold still a moment, while I finish this knot…"

They were just outside the door by then, which had been left open, along with the windows. Apparently Rod had decided that there wasn't any risk of discovery, since no one had ever come looking for Rio—until today. They could hear him grunting as if in effort, and looked at each other, Allen's horror reflected in Neil's eyes. Then they took another step and looked in the door.

Rio's house was a small, one-room cabin, and her bed was on the far side from the front door. They saw Rod, stripped naked, kneeling on the bed, his back more or less to him. Lying before him was Rio, completely nude. Her hands were bound behind her back and her knees were bent sharply, her ankles tied to her thighs, forcing her into a frog-like position on the bed before him. He was just pulling the rope tight and knotting it on her second leg when they looked in.

"There, good and tight! The festival's over in three hours; if you're a good girl, I'll untie you then," he said, chuckling with glee as he leaned back to admire his handiwork. Allen was repelled to see that Rod had a massive erection as he gloated over his victim.

Rod began to stroke her along her back and her thighs, then started to prod between her legs. "Tsk. You're too dry, Rio. You need to work on that. I expect better from you." Then, just as he poised himself behind her, Allen and Neil burst into the room.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Allen shouted, bolting towards them as Rod leaped up and away from the bed.

"What the fuck is going on?" Neil growled, simultaneously, as he strode menacingly towards Rod. Rod backed away, his eyes wide and his mouth open and working as if to speak, though no words came out. Neil cornered him and pinned him to the wall by his throat, glaring down into his ghostly-pale face. "What are you doing to Rio?" he asked.

Looking over at the bed, he watched as Allen first attempted to untie the knots, then, swearing loudly, he pulled out his expensive shears from the holster he kept strapped to his leg at all times and began to cut the ropes off. Neil noticed a strangely pleased look in Rod's eyes and tightened his grip. "I asked you a question," he snarled.

Rod cringed and struggled to get free. "Nothing!" he croaked. "I mean, she likes it when I do this!"

Allen had finished cutting the ropes by then, and Rio had sat up and pulled the sheet up over her naked body, her face crimson. He looked down at the shivering form before him, but she didn't look up, just stared down at the bed. In a soft voice, he said, "Is that true, Rio? Do you? Is this… consensual?"

She hesitated for a moment, then slowly, barely perceptibly, she nodded her head. She stopped and looked over at Rod, still trapped by Neil's hand. As she stared fearfully at the red-headed man, Allen saw tears beginning to gather in her eyes. Then she began to shake her head vigorously. "No! I don't… I didn't… I hate it when he does this to me!" And she began to cry, burying her face in her hands as her sobs shook her whole body. Allen reached out to her, and at first she shrank away from him, but then she turned and leaned into him as he put his arms around her, rubbing her back to comfort her.

Neil turned back to Rod, narrowing his eyes as he growled, "What should we do with this slimeball? Tie him up and throw him into the river?"

Allen glared at his former friend. "No. I have a much better idea. Go ahead and tie him up for now. Oh, and make sure to tie him good and tight. We wouldn't want him to get away, would we? Not when he's been such a bad boy."

Neil grinned, a vicious, feral grin, into Rod's face. "My pleasure," he said, with a low chuckle, and Rod began to look a little queasy.

Helping Rio to her feet, Allen handed her the clothing that had been tossed aside earlier. She hesitated, and he turned his back to give her some privacy, glaring instead at Rod as he stood between them, blocking Rio from his view. Rod squirmed uncomfortably, but Neil was too strong by far.

As soon as Rio finished dressing, she sat on the edge of the bed. In all that time, the only words she'd spoken were to repudiate Rod's claims, and she still was unable to meet Allen's gaze. He held out his hand to her, and after a moment, she put her tiny hand in his and let him pull her up. Once on her feet, though, she nearly collapsed, shaking so hard still that she couldn't stand on her own. So Allen scooped her up and held her gently in his arms, and carried her out the door just as Neil reached for one of the many coils of rope sitting on the nightstand.

He carried her all the way to Iroha's house. Not bothering to knock, he just nudged the sliding door open with his foot and carried her on in, past the smithy where Iroha, surprised by their unexpected arrival, had been hard at work, and up into her living quarters. He set her gently down on the small sofa in her living room just as Iroha dashed in, still removing her work apron.

"What is it? What's happened? Is she okay?" Iroha exclaimed, looking from Allen to Rio and back again, her brown eyes large and startled.

"No, Iroha, she's not okay. But I think she will be, now. Remember what I told you a few days ago? Now's the time she needs your friendship, more than ever before. Take care of her for me, will you? I have some… unfinished business to attend to." He looked down at the shivering, huddled girl on the sofa, and reached out a hand to stroke her hair gently. Then he turned and left, his face grim.

Back at Rio's house, he found Neil grinning maliciously, standing over Rod as he lay on his back on the floor, wrists and ankles tied together as he squirmed uncomfortably. He was still naked, but no longer proud and gloating. Neil was saying, as Allen walked in, "Pipe down, pipsqueak, or I'll go get that gag you were threatening Rio with."

"Ugh," Allen exclaimed as he walked up to them and looked down at Rod. "I don't want to carry him like this all the way through town. Do you?"

"Hell no. I guess we could drag him?"

"Ha! Like one of those little kid pull toys? That might almost be worth doing," Allen said, smirking. Rod turned bright red, but seeing Neil edge a little closer to the nightstand where a ball gag was lying, waiting, he closed his mouth and kept quiet.

Allen looked at him for a moment, thinking. Then he snapped his fingers. "Got it. We can tie him to a pole and carry him that way. You know, like in photographs of big game hunters carrying their prey?"

Neil nodded and grinned. "Perfect. I'm sure Rio's got a good, sturdy pole somewhere in that shed of hers. Hang on, I'll look."

He returned a few minutes later with a thick, sturdy pole in his hands. "This should do it. All right, give me a hand here."

It took about ten minutes to get him tied to the pole, since they had to undo his bonds first, then retie his wrists and ankles around the pole. Working in unison, they hoisted the pole up onto their shoulders, both staggering momentarily as they adjusted to their squirming burden. When Rod started to protest loudly, Neil gave an exasperated snort and lowered his end again. Stalking over to the nightstand, he grabbed the ball gag and returned, cramming it into Rod's mouth and fastening it tightly.

"Much better," he muttered, then he shouldered his share of the load again. "So where're we taking him?"

Allen grinned broadly. "Just follow my lead—you'll see."

Neil chuckled, and they started out the door and up the long driveway.

It was a long walk, and since there wasn't much time left until the festival ended, Allen decided to take the back road through the forest. They emerged from the woods near a peculiar house at the far edge of town, nestled against encroaching forest. No one was in sight, and so the two proceeded towards this odd house.

Allen pounded on the door, and after a moment, it swung open. The interior was dark, and all that Neil could make out was a pale face with luminescent violet eyes staring out at them.

"Yes? What do you want?" a sultry voice purred.

"Hello, my lady. I have a present for you," Allen replied, sounding oddly formal.

The door opened wider, and the violet eyes moved to the side. Allen led the way in, and Neil followed, albeit somewhat uncertainly.

The interior was very dim, but suddenly there was a flash, and a number of sconces and lamps flared up with purple flames. In the eerie half-light, Neil saw a slender, shapely woman, her fair hair bathed in a violet glow, peering at Rod hanging from the pole between them. "So. This is your gift to me?" she asked, and looked up again.

"Forgive me if I am mistaken," Allen said as they lowered Rod to the cold stone floor. "But ever since your arrival, you've been seeking a suitable subject for your… experiments, have you not? Well, here is a healthy, young man who knows a thing or two about experimentation—particularly about subjugation. I thought he would be just what you are looking for."

"Oh, is that so?" she purred. "Untie him."

Allen and Neil complied, removing the gag last of all. "What the hell—" Rod began, angrily, as he rubbed his wrists.

"You will not speak, Toad, until you are given permission to do so!" the violet-eyed sorceress snapped, and he fell into terrified silence.

"Is he willing?" she asked, turning to look at Allen.

"As willing as the young girl he's been torturing and raping," he replied, drily. "You know her, I believe—Rio is her name."

"Rio… yes. A friend of my nemesis, Sephia. Yet all the same, not a bad soul. I confess I've grown to find her company less irritating than most. And she often brings me gifts of my favorite grapes from her farm. So he was abusing her, was he? Well, my fine young man, we reap what we sow, don't we?" she purred in her rich, husky voice, stroking his cheek with long, slender fingers.

"Y-yes, ma'am," he replied, watching her fearfully.

"You will address me as Princess!" she shouted, slapping him hard across his cheek.

"Y-yes, P-p-princess!" he stammered, eyes wide.

Allen smiled. "If you will excuse us, my lady, I believe that he is in very good hands." And with a slight bow, he turned and headed for the door. Neil stared for a moment, then likewise bowed slightly before hurrying after him.

As they closed the door, they could hear a faint sound of sobbing, followed by another shout. "Not a sound from you, Toad!" and another sharp slapping sound.

"Very good hands, indeed," Allen said, with a wide, mirthless grin.

Neil stared at him for a minute. "You… you're actually kinda scary, you know that?"


End file.
